Over 200 battling big blaze

More than 200 firefighters were this afternoon tackling a major fire at a Black Country trading estate.

A section of Tropical House on the Hawthorn Trading Estate in Cornwall Road, Smethwick, collapsed after a blaze broke out shortly after midday today.

Fire crews were sent to the scene and immediately called for back-up after seeing the severity of the blaze, flames from which could be seen for miles around. Crews wearing breathing apparatus were forced to withdraw from the building when a section collapsed.

Nearby buildings have been evacuated and fire crews have said there were still people unaccounted for this afternoon. Police have been called in to close roads around the site.

The cause of the blaze is not yet known.

Do you have pictures of the blaze? Send them to picturedesk@expressandstar.co.uk